Egg carton



May 27, 1930.

E. E. HALE EGG CARTON Filed Dec. 6, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IEiIl-l-INVENTOR Q 7 EDWAHI: E. HAL-=- May 27, 1930. E. E. HALE 1,760,132

' EGG CARTON Filed Dec. 6, 1927 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvE'N-I'OR EDWARD E.HAL-c Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATES EDWARD EVERETT HALE,

OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK EGG CARTON Application filed December 6, 1927.Serial No. 238,153.

My invention relates to improvements in egg carton construction and theobject of my invention is to construct a collapsible paste board cartonin which the bottom, sidewalls,

5 lid, and transverse partitions are formed from a unitary piece ofmaterial. Another object of my invention is to so form the transversepartitions in relation to the front and rear walls of the carton thatthey will of them- 10 selves swing into vertical alignment when theblank is being bent into carton form. A further object of my inventionis to so form the front wall of my carton that it constitutes a rigidsupport for the front portion of the lid,

15 thus reducing the possibility of egg breakage,

and a still further object of my invention is to so construct my cartonthat it can be secured together in its assembled form by an integrallyformed locking tongue, thus obviating the 29 necessity of using any formof adhesives,

wire staples, etc. as a locking means.

My invention consists of a carton constructed and arranged all ashereinafter more particularly described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the cutblank from which my carton is formed.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of such blank showing the sidewallspartially folded, whereby the transverse partitions are partially swunginto their adjusted aligned positions.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the carton showing it adjusted for thereception of eggs, the lid being open.

Fig. l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through the line4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the carton, the lid being closed.

Fig. 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken through the carton,the lid being closed. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of the longitudinalpartition which extends centrally through the carton.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in thedifferent views.

1 is the bottom of the carton which is bent upwardly along its front andrear edges 2 and 3 to constitute the respective front and rear walls 4and 5. The transverse partitions 6 59 which extend from the front wall 4to the rear wall 5 are integrally formed with the front wall and are cutin the following manner, as illustrated in Fig. 1. In this figure thefull lines show where the partitions are cut and the dotted lines wherethey are bent.

The numerals 7 indicate a plurality of parallel transverse cuts of equallength which extend from the upper edge 8 of an inner rear wall strip 9to the front wall 4:, projecting thereinto to form the upper edges 10 ofthe transverse partition supporting pieces or brace tabs 11. 12 are aseries of cuts extending inwardly from the upperedge of the front wall ain. parallel relation to the portions of the cuts 7 which form the edges10, the inner ends of each pair of cuts being connected by a diagonalfolding line 13, such folding lilies being directed at an angle of 45degrees to the edge. 14; are the cuts which form the upper edge of thefront wall t and extend downwardly from the outer ends of the cuts 12 tothe cuts 7 as illustrated. 15- are folding lines lying in alignment withthe cuts lt and extending upwardly from the outer ends of the cuts 12 tothe cuts 7. The inner ends of the transverse partitions 6 are secured tothe strip 9 in the following manner. 16 are a series of alignedlongitudinal cuts formed within such strip and lying in parallelrelation to and spaced away from itsinner or 89 upper edge 8. These cutseach extend downwardly from points in alignment with the transverse cuts7 and terminate at their juncture with transverse parallel cuts 17,which extend inwardly from the edge 8, and 18 are a further series ofaligned longitudinal cuts forming part of the edge 8 and extendingdownwardly from the other ends of the cuts 1.7 to the respectivetransverse cuts 7. The 99 slits 16, 17 and 18 as a whole, constitute asubstantially Z-shaped slit. 19 are diagonal folding lines extendingfrom the upper ends of the cuts 16 to the respective juncture points ofthe cuts 17 and 18, such folding lines {)5 being directed at an angle of45 degrees to the edge 8. By this construction, brace-tabs 31 areprovided, which, in the unfolded position of the box, overlie the rearwall 9 and their triangular-shaped upper portions extend above the topedge 8 of said wall to provide rear supports for the cover 26.

Upon further reference to Figure 1, it will be seen that the lowermostpartition 6 is connected to the fronts in a different mannerto thatbefore described. This partition extends downwardly below the end of theblank and is connected to the front at in a similar manner to itsconnection with the strip 9 wherein a diagonal bending line is formedwhich extends upwardly from the uncture point of the end of the cartonand the transverse edge 21 of the side member 22 to the lowermost cut1%. A bending line 23 of similar form to the bendinglines 24 which formpart of the edge 8 and the strip 9 is also formed in this lowermostpartition.-

25 is a tongue out within the rear wall 5 and adapted to engage thestrip 9 when carton is in the folded position as illustrated in Figure3, the strip being inserted behind such tongue. 26 is the lid of thecarton which is a continuation of wall 5, its outer edge being furnishedwith a portion 27 which is adapted to be bent at right angles therewithso that it lies against the front face of the carton when the lid isclosed, each portion 27 being of the same depth as the depth of thefront wall 4-.

The central partition 28 is adapted to extend longitudinally of thecarton and is provided with a plurality of flare-mouthed slots 29 intowhich are inserted the transverse partitions 6 when such longitudinalpartition is positioned in place. The transverse partitions 6 are alsoprovided with downwardly extending centrally disposed slots 30 adaptedto receive the upper portion of the longitudinal partition when it isinserted.

When it is desired to fold a blank as illustrated in Figure 1 into itsadjusted position the strip 9 is first bent upwardly as illustrated inFigure 2, and as the partitions 6 are at tached to the strip by means ofthe portions through which the angularly extending folding lines 19pass, and to the front wall a by means of the portions through which theangularly inclined bending lines 13 pass its upward movement will causesuch transverse partitions to swing upwardly as illustrated in Figure 2,the strip portions 31 bending alongthe lines of the edge 8 and the frontwall portions bending along the lines 15 until they assume a position atright angles to the partitions. The lower transverse partition will alsoswing upwardly, its portion 22 bending along the folding line 23 whichin turn bends along the folding line 20. The strip 9 and partitions 6are next swung in an anticlockwise direction so that the faces of thesupporting pieces 11 lie along the inner face of the front walla, andthe portions or brace tabs 31 come into contact with the inner face ofthe strip 9. The front wall 4 is in which is also in a vertical positionlies along the bending line 3 of the rear wall 5. Such rear wall 5 isthen swung upwardly in a clockwise direction until it comes into contactwith the strip 9, the tongue 25 engaging the strip which is insertedtherebehind as illustrated in Figure 3. The top 26 is then bentdownwardly along the folding line 32 and the portion 27 bent downwardlyalong the folding line 33. 7

Upon reference to Figure 3 which shows the carton in its adjustedposition it will be observed that the transverse partition supportingmembers 11 he in parallel relation to the top of the front wall 4 and atright angles to the partitions, and that the diagonal bending lines 19in conjunction with the cuts 17 and 18 form vertically extending pairsof right angled triangular members 34:, which protrude upwardly from theupper edge of the strip 9 so that their apeXes reach the bending line32. When the carton is folded in this position, the transverse partition28' is next inserted in place as illustrated in Figure 3 and the cartonis then ready for the reception of the eggs. I

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have devised avery simple and easily adjusted. collapsible egg carton in which I haveobviated the use of adhesives or wire clips as a fastening means, my carton being so constructed that it is securely held in its assembled formby means of a self contained locking tongue. Furthermore, I haveconstructed a carton in which the bending of the front wall and rearwall engaging strip causes the transverse partitions to swing intoplace, thus effecting a great saving of time which would otherwise belost in individually swinging the transverse partitions into theiradjusted positions, By. removing the locking tongue 25 out of engagementwith the strip 9, the transverse partitions will be permitted a swingingmovement about the bending lines 15 and 24 which will allow them to liefiat against the inner face of the front wall at and thus permit thecartonto be se2nifolded in the factory before being shipped to the eggmerchants. Although I have shown a particular construction of myinvention, it is to be understood that I can resort to various changesin the proportion, form, and minor details without departing from myinvention as set forth in the following claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A collapsible carton, comprising a lid,

bottom sides and transverse artitions be tween the sides and integrallyconnected. therewith, and brace members formed in the rear side byslitting the same to provide resulting tabs joined by folds to the rearwall and partitions, respectively, the upper ends of said tabs extendingabove the top edge of the rear side and partitions and disposed inhorizontal alinement with the top edge of the front side to formsupports for the lid when closed.

2. A collapsible carton, comprising a lid, bottom, sides, and transversepartitions between the sides and integrally connected therewith, andbrace members formed in the front side by parallel upright slits ofunequal length, the resulting tabs being disposed horizontally below thetop edge of said front side and oined by folds to the latter and saidpartitions, the front and rear sides having portions projecting abovethe top edges of the partitions and the brace tabs to constitutesupports for the lid when folded.

A collapsible egg carton formed from a blank which is cut and creased toprovide a bottom sides and transverse partitions between said sides, andbrace tabs formed in said sides by slitting the same and connectedthereto and to the partitions by folds, the tabs in one side extendinghorizontally in overlying relation thereto and disposed below its topedge, and the tabs in the other side being" disposed vertically inoverlying relation thereto and having their upper portions projectingabove the top edge of such side and in horizontal alinenient with thecorresponding edge of the other side.

4. A. blank for a foldable carton, coinprising a sheet-like body scoredlongitudinally to provide a bottom, front and rear sides, and a cover, apartition-bearing portion adjoining said front side and including astrip constituting a supplemental rear side, longitudinal scoringsbetween the partition-bearing portion, its strip and the front side,transverse slits in said portion forming a plurality of transversepartitions, said slits intersecting the last-named longitudinalscorings, substantially Z-shaped slits formed in said supplemental rearside and forming at one end continuations of the transverse slits, theother end of said Z-shaped slits terminating substantially opposite andin spaced relation to the next adjoining transverse slit. and scoringsconnecting the last-named ends of the Z- shaped slits with adjoiningcorresponding slits.

5. A blank for a foldable carton, comprising a sheet-like body scoredlongitudinally to provide a bottom, front and rear sides, and a cover, apartition-bearing portion adjoining said front side and including astrip constituting a supplemental rear side, longitudinal scorings'between the partition-bean in g portion, its strip and the front side,transverse slits in said portion forming a plurality of transversepartitions, said slits intersecting the last-named longitudinalscorings, a plurality of sets of parallel, transverse slits formed inthe front side adjoining the partition portion, one slit ofa pair beingin line with and constituting a continuation of the correspondingtransverse partition-forming slits.

EDWVARD EVERETT HALE.

